


(Feels like) Home

by klari19



Category: Lamento -BEYOND THE VOID-
Genre: Angst, M/M, but then it turns to, happy at first, sorry for the feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-26
Updated: 2015-10-26
Packaged: 2018-04-28 06:41:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,011
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5081569
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/klari19/pseuds/klari19
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"When Shui’s hugs began being similar to the feeling of coming back home after a long day of practicing magic outside… Shui’s behavior changed."</p>
            </blockquote>





	(Feels like) Home

**Author's Note:**

> Based on a lovely headcanon by [Ro](http://silver-fangs.tumblr.com): "Shui being this _so_ affectionate cat that needs skinship on a regular basis and at first Leaks is _so_ annoyed but then he gest used to it and he even can tell when Shui isn't in a good mood because of his lack of interest in cuddling."  
>  I'm so sorry I turned this cute little thing into angst *sobs*

When Shui began coming over much more regularly, Leaks was annoyed, but for some reason he never told him to leave. Shui would laugh and tell him about his life in Ransen, the songs he’d written, about how much he liked going flower picking… And Leaks would listen to him while studying his magic, only with one ear, but still paying attention to every single detail of what the musician said.

Soon… Shui’s presence began to feel like any other normal thing in the world to Leaks. Of course, he never said that to the cat, because he didn’t want him to feel overly comfortable in staying at his house… _or did he?_ He didn’t know, he was more than confused by how this particular cat made him feel. He had never been very sociable in his life, but this cat… this one made it all feel normal, and that puzzled Leaks to no end.

One day, as Shui was coming into the house, he suddenly threw himself at Leaks’ neck, a broad smile on his lips. Leaks was taken aback, and couldn’t process what had happened for a few moments. What he did understand was that his heart had stopped at the sight of that precious smile. However, he’d never been a cat who needed physical contact in order to socialize, and Shui’s actions were irritating him.

“… What are you doing.” Leaks’ voice was low and tainted with annoyance, but Shui gave no signs of realizing that.

“I’m hugging you!”

“… Why.”

“I just felt like it. Doesn’t it make you feel good? Hugs are supposed to make you feel good...”

“No.” Leaks’ response was as sharp as ice.

Shui exhaled a barely audible sigh, in which Leaks detected something like sadness— and tightened his grip around Leaks’ neck. “Come on, Leaks… Just for a moment.”

Exasperated, Leaks breathed out through his nose. For a reason he ignored, he didn’t like Shui getting all physical with him, but after long moments of feeling the cat’s warmth permeating through his own clothes, he felt his face and shoulders relax.

“Good…” Shui murmured, his breath tickling Leaks’ neck. It made the braided cat’s heart tingle with something he didn’t understand.

After a while, Shui moved away from him, and Leaks could instantly feel the cold air replacing his warm touch. Again, he felt something in his heart that he couldn’t describe. He didn’t realize exactly when he’d closed his eyes, and he opened them hurriedly. Shui was looking at him, his head cocked to the side, the same wide smile curving his lips upwards.

“You never pushed me back. Why is that?” Shui’s soft voice spoke.

“I- don’t know.” Leaks stammered out after a brief moment of hesitation that didn’t go unnoticed. “But don’t take for granted that I somehow enjoyed that.”

“I think you did.”

“Tsk.”

From that day onwards, whenever Shui came to visit him, they would spend at least one moment of the evening in an awkward yet comfortable hug. And as time passed, it would become less awkward, and more normal, especially to Leaks. He had begun noticing that Shui looked for physical contact mainly –but not exclusively– when he needed comfort. Sometimes Shui would tell him, his voice muffled by Leaks’ clothes, but sometimes he wouldn’t. And Leaks let him do as he wanted.

Exactly _when_ had he become this soft? Leaks didn’t know himself. And now, he doubted he really wanted to understand when, why or how it had happened. It all felt so… comfortable, so…

Normal.

_It felt good._

And now Leaks didn’t want to let go when Shui pulled away from him. Whenever the moment came to separate, his fingers would just lightly grasp Shui’s clothes, and Shui would smile gently, wrap Leaks’ hand in his own and press onto them. His touch felt warm, and soft, and comfortable, and Leaks’ didn’t want it to fade, but eventually, it had to.

If Shui noticed the change in Leaks’ behavior, he never spoke about it. And Leaks was grateful for that, because he had no clear explanation to it himself.

When Leaks began knowing every curve of Shui’s body against his like the lines in the palm of his hand… When Leaks had memorized Shui’s scent, and began looking forward to it… When Shui’s hugs began being similar to the feeling of coming back home after a long day of practicing magic outside… Shui’s behavior changed.

At first, he only made their little “sessions” a bit shorter. Leaks would frown, expecting to stay close to him a little longer, but then he’d forget about it.

Then, Leaks began feeling Shui’s body was tense against his. He would ask Shui about it, and Shui would just smile it away, so Leaks would also forget about it.

However… One day, Shui refused all physical contact with Leaks.

“Not… today…” He murmured. A hand pressed to Leaks’ chest had stopped him right when he was about to wrap his arms around Shui’s slender body.

Even though it hurt him, he didn’t ask Shui any questions about the sudden change. Instead, they got back to their old routine: Shui talking to Leaks while the latter studied magic. However, Leaks could not concentrate properly anymore. Shui’s voice was not as soft and calm as before, something was holding him back from putting the right emotions in his tone, and it puzzled Leaks, but he knew that if Shui didn’t tell him about it, he shouldn’t ask.

Was Shui preparing him for what would come? Leaks wasn’t entirely sure, but if he did, he did it well. Because… he wasn’t surprised when Shui didn’t show up one day. He felt something crumble inside his chest, but it felt as if it had been meant to happen one day or another.

As Leaks looked out the window that day, a salty taste seeped past his lips. His slender fingers moved up to his cheek, and felt a wetness on his skin.

That was the first and last time Leaks ever cried for someone.

**Author's Note:**

> Also find me on tumblr: supcl4ra (you're welcome to come screaming into my askbox about anything -especially Shui/Leaks and Asato/Konoe)


End file.
